Color
by eternalserenity8
Summary: Inuyasha has been tormented, and hurt by the only woman he has ever loved, leaving him robotic. Life is dull and grey until he meets a woman who might just allow him one last hope for a future of acceptance and love. Will he allow himself to feel once again or will he forever be damaged by the hand of an evil woman?
1. Robot

Hi, I hope you enjoy this story I've created in my head! Please feel free to privately message me or leave a review!

Also, I would recommend listening to the song ""iRobot" by Jon Bellion" while reading. It really sets the tone of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters. All characters are owned by the talented Rumiko Takahashi.

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I stand looking in the mirror, mentally dreading going into work for another ridiculous day at my dad's office. Golden eyes stare back at me, judging me for acting so pathetic. A too tired face haunts me, a once attractive man turned bitter at the age of twenty eight. My, always, silver hair and demon ears mock me as it turns my tired look into something much worse. My father and half-brother, both with silver hair, must cringe as they walk around as charming youthful beings while I make it look abnormal.

I turn to the door, adjust my suit quickly, and stride forward out of my large home to the outdoors. A large property and expensive car hide behind a gated-in estate. I was very lucky to have grown up rich, earning this beautiful million dollar property through working at my dad's law firm. Though, I didn't have much choice in it. My half-brother and I were always supposed to take over the firm as partners, thus having to follow the career my father had always planned for us. I did take pride in the fact that I had bought my own home by earning it through winning cases and getting clients in only two years of practice.

I got into my car and drove the, all too familiar, route to the office in the city. Though the job wasn't what I wanted now, it once was. I was actually quite good at what I did, if I was being honest with myself. I had built a large client base thanks to my father's influence and competent, and trusted law firm. I had always wanted my father to be proud of me, hoping one day he could look at me as I am and not as he wished I had been.

That's where things kind of got messy. He would never look at me as I am because there was so much to be disappointed in. I was a half demon, a disgrace to the demon race and a reject to the human race, according to all the bullies I had faced through my years alive. You see, by the age of twelve, my mother had to home school me due to all the bullying I had endured. The teachers had insisted it was best for my health and well-being to be withdrawn from my verbal and physical abusers. I could hide and do well in school, but they would always find me, always.

I was quite talented in school, earning top marks, and entering university at the finest institution. I had once thought of joining another law firm to show my father how valuable I was but that was before the dread I felt inside.

I exited my car in the underground parking lot and walked to the elevator. Once the doors opened, I pressed the floor twenty button, and patiently waited as the elevator rose. I looked at the ground, avoiding the golden eyes disapproving gaze in the reflection of the elevator doors. The elevator doors opened and I stepped foot into an open area with a receptionist sitting behind a desk in the center of the room facing me. Plenty of seating was before her, to her left and right, with a small coffee table stocked with the latest magazines. Behind her, a hallway that turned right led to office doors, my office doors.

"Hello, Mr. Takahashi." I could feel her eyes watch me as I rounded her desk and went straight for my office door.

"Hi, Rin." I didn't look at her, I was too insulted by her constant staring.

I quickly closed the door behind me and sighed with relief. Was I always like this? The answer, simply put, is no. Despite my bullies, I was once filled with passion and desire to learn, to love, and to live, though I would admit it to no one. Growing up I had always believed that one day I would belong, that the world would grow to respect and love me, the way my mother had always shown me. This hope drove me to better myself and live with intention and purpose. Sure, I was always cautious with who I surrounded myself with but I thought I had control.

By my college years, I had become attractive, for a half-demon. Maybe women wanted to be with a half-breed, maybe they were generally interested, or maybe it was curiosity, but I had many opportunities to feel loved, or so I thought until I later learnt was to be used, but I only desired one person's love.

I had met her the day of my first scheduled class. I was walking to my class when I accidentally ran into her. We both fell to the ground. I remember looking at her, waiting for a repulsed reaction but nothing happened. Curious eyes looked into mine and I was absolutely hooked. Dark beautiful hair fell around her face, and warm dark brown eyes looked to mine as we lifted ourselves off the ground.

The place in which my heart rests felt cold as I thought about her again, Kikyo. You see, I once loved her dearly but I no longer feel love, or passion anymore, everything has turned grey. My heart stopped the day she abandoned our life together, and our love. Life felt dull now, I felt no emotion anymore, numb to pain and happiness, alike. I guess you could say I was basically a robot, just going through the days, expecting nothing but the emptiness that followed me.

How did I end up this way? I turned my chair to face the large window behind me, staring into the grey sky. The vision of our romance and tragedy unfold like a movie in the clouds.

The first four years were amazing with her. We had slowly gotten to know each other, she was hard to know. She was mysterious, something for me to figure out and I just happened to love a good mystery. She didn't like our love to be displayed but alone we connected, as connected as I had ever been with a woman. She was a tough girl, I think she didn't want to appear like a lovesick fool. She was always so impacted by others that it would have mentally wasted her knowing others would see her sensitive side. I loved her tough side, as well as the soft side behind closed door, she would only show me.

Once we graduated from that university, I had been accepted for another four year program to become a lawyer. We had decided to move in together in this new city, as we didn't want the distance to hurt our relationship. We had started to fight that first year I was at this new university, I always had thought it was because of the stress of moving and her taking a new job. After that first year at my new school, we had decided to go for counselling. She had thought that, if we really wanted it to work, we should fight for it. The biggest mistake I had ever made.

Images of the therapist filled my mind. His name was Naraku, with dark eyes and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He quickly became a problem, as opposed to a solution. I had eventually stopped going to see the therapist as my work load had quickly increased from school but Kikyo had insisted it was best for her to see him. Quickly, her attitude had changed from, what I had always known her to be, to a much darker soul.

She no longer was warm with me, like a sudden darkness had taken hold of her soul. Sex had become vengeful and forced. Often we would get into fights over something she had conjured up at the therapists meeting and attacked my being. I went from lover to enemy in a matter of weeks. She would often attack my weak spot, my half-breed blood. She would force me into having sex with her after these fights. She believe angry sex was the best sex. I couldn't look at her without feeling like being sick as I knew there wasn't any love left, just darkness and control over me.

I stayed with her for another two years after this. It was stupid but I wanted to believe she would revert to her former self, that this was all just stress. I had walked out a few times, only to be brought back with sweet promises of love and admiration. It was a sick game that I feared I would never be able to escape. The last year together she had started to become intimate with the therapist. I could smell him all over her, the scent used to make me lose my appetite. I had never addressed it with her, in fear that she would find a new angle to attack about my half-breed blood. She had quickly become my worst bully. The final wake up call, or rather the last time I allowed myself to feel, was the announcement that she had aborted our baby. Whether it was mine or the therapists was irrelevant, it was a life I had come to hope for. In all of the bad, a beautiful creature had been growing in her. She had announced her pregnancy at my parents' house, news to me at the time, in hopes that they would grow to like her again. They didn't know what I had been through but they did notice the change in who I was. It was night and day.

I had welcomed the news, even though I was in school, I would cherish this new gleam of hope and love. I was foolish thinking this child would bring us back to a place of love. Perhaps the baby would make us into the family I had always imagined for us. Unfortunately, one night we had begun another fight, thanks to the great therapist, about what our child would look like. How could a half-breed and human make a "beautiful" child? It would be ugly and unloved, something she would never accept. Her hateful words, words from a woman I had felt so much love for at one time, proved to me that the world would never accept me, a monster. She left that night and came home a week later announcing the termination of our child.

I had left, my heart was ripped from my chest. Had she ever loved me? I don't know. Was the child even mine? I don't know. What I do know, I will never be fooled again. Ever.

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Next chapter we meet Kagome!

Thank you for reading! (:

xoxo E.


	2. Myself

This chapter is from Kagome's perceptive. My plan with this story is to switch between Inuyasha, and Kagome to keep it interesting. So sometimes, I might switch during a chapter or make it a continuation for the next chapter. We'll see how it goes! Feel free to give me your opinion on the matter. After reading any given chapter, if you feel like you want to hear the other perspective let me know by reviewing or sending a private message. I love hearing from you guys.

Thank you to everyone who favorited and followed the story. You people are fantastic and I really appreciate it! I'd also like to thank my first reviewer, Warm-Amber92. Thank you for the enthusiasm towards this story!

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You know when you wake up uncomfortable because your nose is unpleasantly cold? I slowly open my eyes as I unwillingly adjust to the light oozing in from the window, and the cold that surrounds my face. I forgot to close the window last night, again. I stare at the wall wondering if the cold had, in fact, woke me up or if it was the waves of nausea I've been feeling for the past week.

The nausea stemmed from the anticipation of meeting a huge client today, one that was more than I could handle. In fact, I didn't even land this client myself, much to my dismay. I was very fortunate to have a friend, Miroku, who was able to secure this opportunity of a lifetime. Luckily for me, his success in banking affairs meant he personally met with the CFO's of large companies.

I had known Miroku since I was a child, and he had always felt like a big brother to me. I was very lucky that he had taken it upon himself to keep me on track with my dreams, while still remaining a pain in the ass. I had always had the dream of being an event planner. Organization, time management, and people skills had always been a strong suite of mine. Miroku had always encouraged me, offering me emotional, and financial support to start my business. Though I had paid him back a few years ago, as I had made a fair amount of money through planning birthday parties, and wedding events, Miroku continued to send me clients even when I didn't want them.

Today I was meeting with a client of his, or rather, the son of a client of his. I was expected to plan, and flawlessly execute, the perfect Christmas party for a well-established law firm downtown. I had researched the law firm from the moment I had landed the job, and haven't slept well since. Though I had to admit, there wasn't much research needed as I already knew the family I was to be working for.

Everyone knew the family, thanks to their success and charity work. This family was like royalty in this big city, every tabloid and newspaper has something to report about them. Mr. Takahashi, the father, and CEO of the firm, was known for his charming demon figure, and his ability to win any case. Mrs. Takahashi, the mother, is Mr. Takahashi's second wife. She also happens to be human, and was known for her generous charity work. Mr. Sesshomaru was the eldest son of Mr. Takahashi, whose demon mother died after his birth. He followed in his father footsteps effortlessly but was much less known to the public eye. Lastly, there was Mr. Inuyasha, a half-demon, who was an interest of the public eye since as long as I can remember. He, and his mother both dedicated much of their time helping others but suddenly disappeared to pursue his law degree.

I grab my laptop from the top of my bedside table as I stay firmly planted in my bed. As I lift the lid, the screen comes to life. I open my mail app and search for the specific email that outlines the wishes of the client. The email reads that I am to meet a Mr. Inuyasha, who will be situated on the twentieth floor. I found it strange that the email had been sent from a Mr. Sesshomaru but continued to read the email, for the billionth time. The Christmas party is intended to delight their mother as well as impress all of their biggest clients. Upon meeting Mr. Inuyasha, he will be accountable for giving all of the crucial information I needed to plan this fantastic party. If he did not offer much help, I was to report back to Mr. Sesshomaru immediately.

As I read the email over again, I can't help but feel uneasy. Typically, the person most passionate about the event would meet me and it would painless. If Mr. Inuyasha wasn't passionate about this party, which was evident in the email, it would make things much more difficult, if not impossible. It also meant he, more than likely, didn't have anything planned. Most individuals already had a vision or expectation of what they wished for their event. Another issue was that I only had two months to plan, and execute this party, which meant my typical vendors didn't have much notice. Overall, this meeting was crucial to cover all of my bases so I could prepare myself and inform my vendors as soon as humanly possible.

I close my laptop, and softly set it beside me in my bed. Unwillingly, I move a leg out of the warm covers, and instantly regret my decision. I know I must get out of bed to shower so I conjure up some willpower, and push the covers off of myself. Placing my feet on the floor, I become mindful that it is going to be a lengthy day.

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It took much longer than I had anticipated to get ready for this meeting. After showering, styling my hair, applying make-up, and choosing the perfect outfit, I had finally managed to eat a banana before calling a cab. I look in the mirror in front of me and examine my appearance.

I had settled on a white v-neck, long sleeve shirt that I tucked into a black pencil skirt. To finish the look, I grabbed my bright red heels, to add a pop of colour, and personality to the outfit. My make-up was pretty minimal as I settled on a neutral look. My brown eyes move to my black hair, examining that it had, in fact, stayed wavy despite its usual disobedience.

A loud car horn grabbed my attention from looking at the reflection in the mirror. I quickly put on my pea coat as well as grab my large hand bag, now filled with my laptop and a notepad. I take one deep breath before locking my apartment door, walking down the stairs onto the sidewalk pavement, and stepped into the cab. I tell my driver the location I am expected to be and patiently look out the window at all the buildings passing as quickly as they appeared.

The anticipation was slowly killing me as I waited for this car ride to end. This meeting could go by quite quickly or could last all day, depending how much time Inuyasha had invested in his expectations. I internally attempt to calm myself when I feel the cab come to a stop. I had the cab driver far too much cash before sliding out of the vehicle.

I turn to the enormous building, and take a final deep breathe before reaching for the front door entrance. I enter the building, and proceed to the large reception desk. They tell me information I already know, and offer to take my coat. I head to the elevator, and enter almost immediately. Anxiety begins to fill my mind as I wait impatiently as I rise to the twentieth floor. Sooner than I would like, the elevator doors open, and another receptionist waits in the middle of a room with chairs to the left and right of the desk. The room appears very large thanks to the many windows that act as walls.

"Welcome, how may I help you?" says a lovely young lady, named Rin, from behind the desk.

"Hi, my name's Kagome. I'm here to see Mr. Takahashi about the Christmas party planning." She looks at me with a look I can't identify on her face.

"Oh, yes, I'll let him know. Please, sit." She waves her hand to the seating available while grabbing the phone in front of her.

I easily walk to the couches, and sit as gracefully as possible. The cushions sit low, and I swear at myself internally for wearing a pencil skirt that offers little movement options. I take this moment to address my anxiety, and reassure myself that I am a professional. I hear the phone being put back on its stand and her voice fills the room louder than before.

"He's been anticipating your arrival, he is ready to see you now…" A pause fills the air but she shakes her head and lifts herself from her chair.

I nod and can't help but wonder if she was going to say anything else? I don't have much time to think about it before she gestures for me to follow. I am led around her desk to a hall that turns right revealing office doors. She lightly knocks before turning around, offering a warm smile before disappearing.

"Come in," says a lifeless sounding voice.

I open the door to reveal a beautiful man with memorizing golden eyes and silver hair. In that moment, my anxiety complete fades, and is replaced with a feeling of calm. I quickly question myself for the sudden change but am distracted by his fluid movement from his chair. He doesn't look at me as he rounds his desk, and stands in front of me to shake my hand. I immediately go flush as soon as our skin has contact, a reaction I am taken back from and also ashamed of.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Higurashi." His hand shake is firm but his face seems disinterested, much to my disappointment.

"Please, call me Kagome." He finally looks me in the eye and I am taken in by his beautiful face.

"As you wish." He gestures for me to sit, and returns to his office chair behind his desk.

I make quick work of pulling my laptop out of my bag, and opening the lid to reveal a check list I had left open previously. I hurriedly place my bag on the floor beside my feet, and inspect my list.

"So it is my understanding that you are in charge of planning this year's Christmas party. To begin, I need to confirm the date of the event, the amount of people attending, and the budget that I am working with to make this possible." I hope that this didn't seem to forward, something about him made me feel calm, and comfortable, despite his disinterest.

Covering the basics with Inuyasha was incredibly easy. We moved through these straight forward questions without as much as a problem. The event was to be held in this building so booking a venue wouldn't be an issue. That meant I wouldn't have to worry about booking as soon as possible, or finding a trendy, upper class location. He also inform me that they had a surplus of tables and chairs bought for other events. The only issue thus far was that Inuyasha was so impartial. It was like the man was on autopilot, he was polite but offered no more to the conversation and he never looked me in the eye.

"Alright, this is great. Next I need to know what theme you would like to base the night around."

"Christmas themed." My face must have fell because he almost looked apologetic, emphasis on almost.

"I'll make this easy for both of us…" I open my photo albums and select my previous Christmas theme party successes, "may I show you some pictures that might inspire you?"

He nodded, again not saying more than he had too. I rounded his desk, and put my laptop in front of him. I moved myself so that I was kneeling beside him in his chair. I could feel him tense as our arms briefly brushed against each other but I ignored his reaction. Slowly I moved through the pictures, displaying colourful pictures of past Christmas parties I had organized.

I couldn't pay attention to my own pictures as all I could think about was how close I was to him. He smelt wonderful, and his silver hair strands memorized me. My body felt electric with the idea of touching him again. All these feelings were starting to feel conflicting until I was pulled out of my thought process by his clearing of his throat.

"I think my mother would really like the silver, white, and blue theme. I also know she would love the candles and pine cones on each table." I observed the picture he was referring to, and agreed it was a beautiful theme. I quickly made a mental note of including these colours, and a winter forest type arrangement for the decor.

As if not thinking, words just fell out of my mouth, "Is this what will make you happy?"

His head turned, and intense eyes met mine. My initial reaction was to take in his beauty, his firm jaw, gorgeous eyes, and flawless skin, it made me melt. But more importantly, until now, his eyes revealed nothing, it was as if he had no opinions, no emotion. In this moment, confusion was evident in his eyes, and I was almost grateful. A small smile formed on my lips, a reaction I couldn't help to this small gesture of his humanity by my simple question.

"Why are you smiling?" More confusion.

"No reason. Nothing," I cleared my throat and averted my eyes back to my laptop to see I had been here approximately two hours. "Well we've covered a lot today. I will come up with a detailed plan for the party, including seating chart, food and alcohol options, and options for entertainment." I realized I was still kneeling by his side, and he was definitely still staring at me.

I tried to effortlessly lift myself from my squatting position but failed as my skirt offered only trouble. Witnessing my failed attempt, he offered a hand, and chuckled weakly in response to my sigh of defeat. It was music to my soul. My hand felt on fire in his but I tried to ignore the sensation before finally standing up. I quickly removed my laptop from his desk, closed the lid, and moved back to my bag resting on the floor.

I finally spoke to fill the silence in the air. "We'll have to schedule another meeting to discuss if you are satisfied with my detailed plans based on the information you provided today. I will also have a list of possible vendors available for your event." He was no longer looking at me, he was back to the emotionless man I had known most of this meeting, much to my disappointment. "Perhaps in two weeks we could meet at a café? Nothing makes you feel Christmas cheer like a peppermint latte."

"Sure." His voice offered no emotion or care for my statement.

"It's a date." His eyes shift to mine in a mere moment, causing me to blush. "I mean, not a date… not a real date… a friendly date… business date," SHUT UP ALREADY, "it's a meeting. Yes, a meeting."

He chuckled at my embarrassment, and a flood of warm feelings filled my heart. "Yes, it's a date," he said mockingly.

He thought this was amusing but I could not muster any feelings of anger as I was so memorized by his presence. Though, I was still quite embarrassed, which was clearly marked on my face. It was like night, and day. His mostly unemotional presence this meeting was disheartening but these rare moments of off-guard emotion were exquisite.

"Let me walk you out," he offered politely.

I would have been happy staying in this office all day. I wanted to see more of this emotion, feel more of his incredible presence, that is, when he did have any emotion, though rare. He moved around his desk, and gestured for me to follow. He opened his office door, and allowed me to go through before following, and matching my pace easily.

"Thank you for your time today. I know it wasn't glamourous but I promise this event will be well worth the boring detailing." I admitted. I knew that, though I might enjoy it, it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

"No, thank you. I'm sure my mother will love it." We had approach Rin's desk and had come to a stop before I could answer.

"You will too." I quickly glanced at him and offered him a smile. His face said nothing but his eyes appeared confused once again.

"Rin, could you please make an appointment to meet with Miss Higurashi in two weeks please? Make a note that I'll be leaving the office to meet with her. Thank you." His confused eyes hadn't left my face as he spoke. I, however, had to look away as his intense gaze was more than I could handle while attempting to focus.

"It's Kagome," I quickly interjected. Rin's face mirrored Inuyasha's, if not more confused. She stared at him with disbelief before turning her attention to me.

"Again, thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting with you again," I say. My face became blushed again without my permission. I usually say that to most of my clients but this time it felt sincere.

A genuine smile formed on his lips that nearly knocked the wind out of me, "Yes, until then, Kagome." He offered a quick handshake before retreating to his office.

I, on the other hand, was left dazzled, frozen in place. I felt on fire, like a storm inside me was forming from just being around him. Sure this mostly unemotional man had a remarkable appearance but the rare moments of emotion sent waves of curiosity and longing through me.

"What just happened?" whispered Rin from her desk, only a few feet away from me, after he had left the room.

I was pulled from my own thoughts by her enquiry. I looked to her and realized she might have been staring at me the whole time I had been standing here. A new wave of embarrassment washed over me. I wonder how many woman do this once they leave his office, probably a lot.

"I should head out. It was nice meeting you, Rin" I offered her a smile.

She ignored me, and continued her questioning. "Did he smile? Am I crazy? First, he walked you out of his office, which is out of the ordinary. Then, he actually looks confused but, to top it all off, he smiled?" She continued to gaze at me, as if searching for answers.

"Is that bad? I don't understand?" At this point, we had both been whispering as the room seemed so quiet since he had left.

"I've never seen him this way," she said more to herself than me. "He's been a robot since I've known him. Granted it has only been two years… but never an ounce of emotion. Never."

I nodded because I didn't know what to say. I realized she hadn't been staring at me earlier because I was just another girl yearning for him. She was staring at me because of the emotion I created in him.

"What did you do?" She anxiously looked at me for insight.

"Nothing," we both looked at each other, "I was just myself, I guess."

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I hope you enjoyed! I'm considering writing Inuyasha's perspective of this chapter but I'll only do it if you guys express some interest. Actually, scratch that, I already wrote it. Just let me know if you want it!

Thank you!

xoxo E.


	3. Myself Part Two

This is Inuyasha's perspective of the last chapter. I hope you enjoy it! I'm releasing it so soon after the last because I have the flu and have had time to review it a billion times now. If I'm being completely honest, I just really love this chapter. That's basically the reason I wrote it in both the perceptive of Inuyasha, and Kagome.

I want to thank everyone for the follow, favorites and reviews. You guys are awesome, and I really appreciate every single one of you. Please, feel free to continue to send the love. I'm also very open to private messaging if you have ideas or questions. I love hearing from everyone.

Shout out to Warm-Amber92, Blue Clown, Firecat and SnowWhite, inuyasha rawr 17, and Compucles for the reviews. I really appreciate the encouragement, and excitement towards my story.

Now, housekeeping, regarding a review from a guest. I'm sorry that you feel as though I made Kagome a stupid woman so that Inuyasha would like her. Let me give you my point of view. If you disagree with it, you should probably stop reading this because my story isn't going to change to satisfy your perception. Kagome develops a "stupid" crush because humans have desires and needs, and he's good looking, these desires make her nervous (which is a real life thing). It might also appear shallow because he also has no personality, at this point, to work with (note: dead inside). Next, this was from Kagome's perceptive, and I intended that she have low self-esteem because I want her character to grow. So, spoiler, she will change in some aspects. My take on Kagome is that she isn't stupid, she's nervous near Inuyasha and has low self-esteem. Lastly, and you will see in future chapters, their connection is a lot deeper than it appears, which explains her attraction. This is chapter two, bare that in mind. In summary, this story will not offer instant gratification, I like to offer character development, and if you don't like it you don't have to read it. I'm sorry if anyone else feels this way but I hope this sheds some light on my ideas.

Sorry, for that long explanation. I honestly wasn't even going to address the review but I decided if one person feels this way, someone else might too. I probably wont do this again because I don't think I should have to explain such an easy concept.

Here's the chapter, my lovelies!

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Days seem to pass by in a blur around here. The only thing keeping me in the moment were my cases. Specifically, I was working with another junior associate on a case that seemed to drag on for absolutely no purpose, except maybe the client's pride.

"Just settle the case, Yura. Once they agree to the settlement, we can finally just put it all behind us. Going to court for it just prolongs this nuisance. At this point, neither side has a solid case worthy of any judge's time." She answered but I never really listened to her, "Let me know once it's complete. Thank you."

Sometimes being a good lawyer means understanding that when you win a case, both clients, from either side, might lose. I didn't really care for this win, though I know with more time, we would win. It was resources we could use elsewhere. Plus, today I had other things to attend to.

This year, I was in charge of organizing the Christmas party. Honestly, this require little, to no, effort on my part. I just had to provide a party planner my ideas and expectations, and they would take care of the rest. Being accountable for this Christmas party actually meant that I would offering my finances to fund it this year. Last year, Sesshomaru had paid, and the year before, my father. The goal was always to please my mother.

If I was being honest, their parties were satisfactory but their hired party planner bored my mother. She always complained of his lack of effort, and taste. This year, I decided to follow the advice of my accountant, who was also the businesses accountant, and hire a party planner he swore by. He was pleasant enough, and has never failed me, or the business for that matter, thus I decided he was probably directing me in the right direction.

Sesshomaru had reserved an appointment with the party planner as I had kept putting it off. Typically we would give them four months to prepare but I left it down to two months. It's not that I didn't want to meet with them, it was that I just didn't care. I would have to thank him later for taking initiative or I might have missed the opportunity completely.

Miss Kagome Higurashi was to meet me at 1pm to discuss my general thoughts for the party. Sesshomaru had forwarded me her acceptance email to planning our party. Attached was his initial email which portrayed me as an inconsiderate asshole. I understood the importance of the party for my family, even if it had no meaning for me.

He didn't understand me anymore, in fact, I could argue no one in my family did anymore. I'm positive that they all consider me as some monster who only has negative feelings. They were wrong, of course. I just didn't feel any emotions either side of the spectrum. For instance, I wasn't angry, or even annoyed, about planning this party. On the other hand, I wasn't happy, or excited, about planning it either. It was just another assignment I had to complete, that I would get done.

Perhaps they didn't understand because they all, including my mother, were so passionate. They felt extreme emotions. If they were mad, they would fight until the very end. If they were in love, they loved intensely. As if to prove my point, memories of my parents getting remarried almost yearly played in my mind.

His email, didn't elicit any emotion in me either. Sure, he could paint me in that fashion, but I didn't care. He could have his opinion, he was entitled to it. It was best she had some idea of how I was. I can guarantee those who are subjected to me must think of me poorly for my indifferent attitude. It didn't matter to me.

I note that 1pm is creepy closer as I continue to send out emails, unaffected for this upcoming meeting. It's like any other day, it will soon pass. Besides, I needed to focus on my largest client, and his newest lawsuit he claims isn't his fault. He's being sued for the wrongful termination by another one of his receptionist.

* * *

"Mr. Takahashi, Miss Higurashi is here to see you now." I quickly look at the time, I had been lost in an email exchange.

"Send her in," my voice is laced with much more indifference than politeness than I'd like, "please."

"Of course." She hung up quickly.

I save my email as a draft, and close the internet tab. The screen is now just the desktop page, filled with far too many application shortcuts. It makes me wonder if I should clean up my desktop a little. I probably won't.

A light tap on the door draws in my attention. I state something along the lines of come in and I clearly hear Rin stomp away. For a tiny woman, she really does walk loudly. I didn't have look up to know she had entered the room. Between hearing her footsteps, and the sudden flood of her scent, it was pretty evident.

I kept my eyes down as I moved from my chair and crossed my office to shake her hand. Her hand was cold in mine but her firm handshake indicated she meant business. This probably won't take long.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Higurashi." I attempt to say with a polite tone. I failed, disinterest seemed to lace my every word. Poor girl.

"Please, call me Kagome." I looked to her face, out of politeness. I was very aware she had been gazing at me since she had entered the office. No doubt, judging me, like everyone did.

Strangely enough, she almost resembled Kikyo. If I weren't so attentive to detail, I would argue that they shared similar hair, and eye colour. I see more hints of blue in Kagome's hair, however, their eyes were identical colours. Even their face structure looked similar, except Kagome had slightly softer features. This should upset me on some level, but it didn't. It didn't matter.

"As you wish." I gestured for her to sit, and proceeded back to my office chair.

My eyes don't linger on her. I, instead, look around the room as we go over necessary questions. At some point, she had pulled out a laptop and was quickly taking notes on my every word. I had to admit, she was very thorough, an excellent quality in anyone you hire. The meeting was taking longer than I had imagine purely because this woman talked a lot. I honestly don't think she even realizes how much she talks. Maybe she was being extra informative to make me feel comfortable with the choice of hiring her? Though it was a thoughtful gesture, I didn't need comforting, it would get done.

She finally pulled me out of auto-pilot by asking a simple question." Alright, this is great. Next I need to know what theme you would like to base the night around."

Theme? It's a Christmas party. "Christmas themed." Her face fell immediately. I almost felt bad because I hadn't really thought of a theme. I wasn't even sure if the other party planner had ever ask for a theme.

"I'll make this easy for both of us…" She started to click the mousepad on her laptop, "may I show you some pictures that might inspire you?" Inspire me, interesting concept. I nodded but made no other move.

She swiftly got up, a task I would have thought impossible in such a tight, flattering, skirt. Laptop in hand, she rounded my desk and planted it diagonal to me. She slowly kneeled beside me, and for a quick instant our arms brushed each other. Involuntarily, my body tensed, a reaction I hadn't really experience in a long while. Her fingers started to press the next key on her keypad as images flashed before me.

Her scent filled my nostrils, and her sudden touch caught me off guard. If I were being honest, I was having a difficult time focussing on the pictures completely because of her. My heart was aching all of a sudden. Alarming, for something I had thought went numb and cold a long time ago. It threatened me, as if it had a mind of its own. I ignored the sensation but my throat cleared itself instinctively, as if to tell my body to remain calm.

She stopped in her tracks, and I realized she might have taken it as a social cue. I thought carefully, but quickly, about an image I had seen before my heart acted up.

"I think my mother would really like the silver, white, and blue theme. I also know she would love the candles and pine cones on each table." I was surprised at myself, I do think my mother would enjoy this look. It might look elegant.

"Is this what will make you happy?" Her words were unexpected, and my eyes found her eyes instinctively.

My happiness? It didn't matter. Why did she care? Was this part of her job? She knows this party is to please my mother. Is she mocking me? A small smile formed on her lips and my heart ached with more intensity.

"Why are you smiling?" was she laughing at me? What had I done? I didn't sense hostility but how could I be sure. I didn't know this woman. My heart continued to ache but I ignored its roar.

"No reason," She looked for more words but all that came out was, "nothing." She was uncomfortable, and it was almost sweet.

What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't look away from her. I stared at her as she cleared her throat and continued on about creating a plan for the party. I couldn't focus on what she was saying, I was still investigating my new reaction. The more I stared at her, the more my heart ached. It was like my heart was threatening me, to spill what had been supressed long ago.

All of a sudden, she attempted to lift herself off the floor. She was unsuccessful, her legs attempted to move but her skirt constricted her greatly. I instinctively offered my hand, and felt her cold hand in mine as she used it to help lift herself. I offered a fake chuckle to assure her that I wasn't judging her. She quickly grabbed her laptop, and made her way to her bag on the floor.

Still standing, she offered to meet in another two weeks so finalize some details. She also interjected something about holiday cheer. Her speech and distance offered me some time to clear my head and silence my aching heart. By the time I was required to answer, I felt like myself again.

"Sure." Politeness didn't make an appearance.

"It's a date." My eyes darted to hers again, without permission, the ache in my heart bursting to life. I've, of course, heard this phrase many times used casually but something about the way she said it made me realize she was embarrassed the minute it fell out of her mouth. The minute my eyes met hers, her whole face turned red. "I mean, not a date… not a real date," she was stumbling over all of her words, "a friend date… a business date. It's a meeting, yes, meeting."

I chuckled, for real this time, something that seemed to escape a deep part of my soul. I was caught off guard, and the aching feeling in my heart taunted me. Its intensity only subsided once I teasingly interjected, "Yes, it's a date." It was as if it had a small hiccup of relief before intensifying again. A hiccup of relief I didn't allow it to do.

She didn't look angry at my teasing. Instead her face, though still embarrassed, looked as though she was mesmerized. I needed to get her out of here before I had another heart hiccup.

"Let me walk you out," I offered in a polite voice I didn't have to force.

I finally moved my eyes and felt my heart's ache relax ever so slightly. Good. I moved around my desk, and gestured for her to follow. I feared if I opened my mouth, I would say something stupid. I feared? I opened my office door, and continued after her, matching her speed instantly. I wasn't even sure why I had followed after her. I could have said goodbye at my door.

"Thank you for your time today. I know it wasn't glamourous but I promise this event will be well worth the boring detailing." She's overthinking it. She should give herself more credit.

"No, thank you. I'm sure my mother will love it." My heart was starting to calm itself as we approached Rin.

"You will to." We had finally stopped in front of Rin, and for a moment Kagome had interrupted my train of thought. It felt as though someone had griped my heart hard but I ignored the sensation, knowing I would be fine when she left. I couldn't, however, stop myself from looking at her again, confusion probably evident on my face. Why did she care if I liked it?

"Rin, could you please make an appointment to meet with Miss Higurashi in two weeks, please? Make a note that I'll be leaving the office to meet with her. Thank you." I was pretty sure she had suggested earlier we get peppermint lattes, whatever that meant.

I stared at her face the entire time I spoke with Rin. I wanted to understand why she cared if I liked her party. Was it a pride thing? Her face offered no answers. My heart continued to ache.

"It's Kagome," she interjected, "Again, thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting with you again."

Her face became red again with genuine embarrassment. Another squeeze of my heart, and an involuntarily smile formed on my lips. It felt uncomfortable but I couldn't push this familiar but foreign feeling away. I need to get away from this woman. I needed to figure out what was happening to me.

"Yes, until then, Kagome." Oh, why. I quickly offered her a handshake as a formality.

Before she could answer, I walked away, having to stop myself from running. I immediately went to my desk, and thought of ways to calm my aching heart. The longer I was away from her, the less I could feel the ache. I hadn't done any more work the rest of the day as I obsessed over the feeling in my heart. I was becoming increasingly worried until I finally realized I didn't feel anything at all anymore.

It was a gradual decline but eventually, my heart just stopped hurting, and the world seemed to return to normal. It was at that moment, when I was reflecting on the incident, that I realized everything that was grey had turned to colour when she was here. I hadn't been able to notice it then but in this moment, the greys seemed so much dark. My world was so dark, now that I had a taste of the light.

Her heels had been a bright red, something I only identify now. If I pictured them in this moment, all I could picture were grey shoes. The darkness didn't bother me, but the memory of the colours threatened me. I pushed the thought away.

I rest my hand on my chest where my heart is, and recognize it again. It is familiarly cold and, numb again. Why had it betrayed me earlier? This was all just a coincidence, I'm sure if another person engaged with me today, the same thing would happen. It might just be a bad day for me emotionally, or some shit. Do I test it? I decide I don't care enough to even try. It was a fluke. Tomorrow it will be back to normal or, at least, my normal.

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I hope you enjoyed!

xoxo E.


	4. Peppermint Latte

Hi everyone! I'm sorry this chapter is so late. I just started a new program in school, and am adjusting to that schedule. This story will continue, and will hopefully be updated often. I anticipate writing chapters for this story as a way for me to take a break from homework. So good news, this thing will probably be updated a lot.

I'd also like to point out that this might be a slow chapter but I do think it's important. It will offer some insight of how Inuyasha views his predicament, and how emotions feel to him. So I hope you all enjoy!

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Two weeks had come, and gone in a blink of an eye. I mostly spent every waking moment at work anyway. I didn't have any close friends anymore so work was a good way to distract myself. If I wasn't at work, you could find me at the gym but that was located in my house.

Every day was the same, with the exception of winning the occasional easy case. At the moment, I was still preoccupied with the lawsuit against my largest client. The wrongful termination lawsuit quickly turned dreadful when the receptionist claimed sexual harassment before her unjustified termination. I had an associate finding witnesses, going through emails and security camera footage, searching for anything that might indicate whether my client was innocent or guilty. I needed to know every fact before defending him. His past wrongful termination accusations weren't nearly as muddled. My hands were quite full with this one.

My phone ringing pulled my attention away from my desktop. "Yes, Rin?"

"Hello again, you have a meeting today with Kagome." She was being informal, again. I also wasn't sure why she was so chipper about Kagome.

"Yes, thank you for the reminder."

Kagome had actually emailed me earlier this week with more questions about the event. She needed to know the floor plan of the room we'd be occupying so I had Rin make a detailed layout of the place. She also asked if I would prefer email invitations or paper invitations. I suggested email invitations.

Since Kagome's visit, Rin has been friendlier with me. For instance, she calls my phone more frequently now, instead of the email exchanges we had previously agreed upon. She also asks much more specific question when I would walk by her in the morning, to which I politely answer but not thoroughly. Lastly, and most importantly, she reported to my older brother on the events of that day.

I was being harassed by the family now, quite literally, for smiling. I internally sigh as I fail to see the importance of a smile, it's not uncommon for a person to smile. Of course, they were making a much bigger deal than necessary. Or maybe it was the right reaction from them. I don't think anyone has seen me smile in an eternity. I remember feeling panicked when this was all initially unfolding too.

Though that meeting did provide a lot to think about, I remain unchanged, in my opinion. I still felt empty, everything was dull and lifeless to me, much like before she made an appearance in my life. The only difference now is I have this knowledge of what my body is capable of without my consent. I also had the nagging memory of the feelings I had felt and the colours I saw. I didn't linger very much on this thought though as I knew it was a waste of time.

I had laid it to rest the moment I had finally calmed myself the day it had happened. I thought nothing more of it than it being a simple fluke. The evidence I had thus far was everything had went back to normal, and remained normal since then. I wasn't worried or nervous about today for that reason. It was just another meeting, where she would go through everything in great detail, look to me for an opinion, get a polite reply, and go home. Her emails hadn't impacted me either, it was comparable to emailing Rin.

I got up from my spot and moved to my office doors. I knew Rin would be curious after my meeting so I scheduled to meet with Kagome at 3pm. That way, when I returned to the office, Rin would no longer be here. Surely, if she got any information my brother would be the first to find out. I wasn't too enthusiastic on him being in my affairs.

"Have fun, Mr. Takahashi." I didn't look at her.

"Have a good night, Rin." I quickly walked to the elevator, and pressed the button. It took a couple moments but the doors finally opened, and I stepped inside. I don't look at my reflection as I descend to the main floor of the building. I didn't need to see the beast that mocked me.

Finding the place wasn't impossible, I had walked by it a million times in my life, occasionally stopping inside for a drink. My father used to take me here when he was working late too. You see, when I was little, I used to stay at the office with my dad on the occasional Sunday. I had always idealized my father so I always attempted to spend time with him, even if he didn't want my company. He never told me directly that he didn't want me there but I always assumed it.

I walk into the once familiar coffee shop instantly knowing she wasn't here because I was earlier than discussed. I went to stand in line, only having to wait for three other people before me. I order a medium black coffee, and a medium peppermint latte. Much to my surprise, they actually exist, and is considered a popular item on the menu. Once receiving my order, I move to a table that she would easily see from the front door.

I check my email, receiving one from the associate working on the wrongful termination case, when I smell her scent with a burst of fresh air from outside. My heart hummed in response to her presence, much to my displeasure. I had hoped this nonsense wouldn't happen again. I looked up and made immediate eye contact with Kagome, her dark eyes displaying eagerness. My chest didn't ache but it made itself present, unlike the cold I usually felt. It was easy to ignore its call, it was nothing compared to the ache I felt the last time I saw her.

She came the table and made quick work of taking off her pea coat. "Hi, Mr. Takahashi." She was smiling like she was actually happy to see me. Why she would be happy to even be near me baffled me beyond belief.

I looked down at her coffee cup, forcing her to look too. "I bought you a peppermint latte, to get you in the holiday spirit." I smirked without permission.

She had sat down in the seat to my right but didn't say anything, forcing me to look up at her face again. I looked up to see a small smile dance on her lips as she stared at her latte, a subtle blush on her cheeks. The humming in my heart changed to a dull ache.

"That's very sweet of you," It was almost a whisper, "You didn't have too." Her fingers intertwined on the table, and her gaze finally matched mine.

I was stuck looking in her eyes, trying to understand this woman. Why is she blushing? This was not something I was used to what so ever. Should I ask her? My mouth refused to move, though it was probably for the best. I had been naïve the last time I had spoken while having this odd heart ache. This woman, and her strange power over me had me questioning everything.

She finally broke our intense eye contact by grabbing her laptop from her bag and placed it between us. She opened the lid and an image of her, and three other people were on the desktop picture. With her, an old man, a middle aged woman, and a teenage boy sat posed for a picture. Seeing their genuine happiness made me feel a warm feeling inside. The small ache in my chest pulsed, threatening to speak.

"Is that your family?" The words were already out, and I cursed this ache.

"Oh, yes" her eyes looked soft with affection, "that's my grandpa, my mother, and my little brother." She pointed to each face as she announced who they were. "I know it's silly to have them as my screensaver but I miss them. They live about two hours away, and I feel like I never have the time to go visit." A smile was on her lips but her eyes turned sad as she continued to look at her family.

"It's a great picture of you all." I couldn't stop the flow of words from my mouth but I knew them to be true, if I really listened to what I felt.

"Thank you," she looked me in the eye and smiled a sweet smile, my heart responded accordingly. Genuine love was present in her whole being when she spoke of her family. Her smile, her voice, and even her eyes seemed to soften when she spoke of her family.

After a small pause, she opened her documents, and we spent the next while discussing her plans for the Christmas party.

"These are only rough drafts so if there's something you don't agree with just let me know." She smiled but continued.

I offered no help, her plans seemed flawless. Not only did she have everything written out, she also included detailed pictures and checklists. I let her choose the vendors because she sounded so confident in her options. The invitations were done, and sent to me to be sent out tomorrow as I had the master guest list. As a precaution, I put a note in my phone before we had continued. She went through every single aspect in great detail.

An interesting thing I noted about Kagome was that she loved to talk, and it was enthralling. For instance, she spoke about banners for approximately ten minutes because of the time her brother bought ten packages instead of two. Not only could she be passionately silly, she was also incredibly intelligent, with always something witty on the tip of her tongue. She was charming, though I didn't like to admit it. Her conversational skills could distract me from the constant buzz of the people around us. I found that the more I concentrated on her words, I was able to shadow the ache in my heart too.

We had been at the coffee shop for roughly two hours when I suddenly smelt a scent I wasn't very fond of. The scent made my stomach hard and my mouth dry. The strong smell of wolf nearly overshadowed the scent of Kagome, who was sitting directly beside me. I look to the document to see we still have two other pages to tackle, and I immediately think of an excuse to leave. I must admit, I never imagined it was this much work to plan a party. Maybe she was just thorough. I would have to thank Miroku, my accountant, for suggesting her services.

"I'm sorry, I know we aren't complete done yet but I have other business I have to attend to." I didn't want to risk seeing the man who had entered the coffee shop.

"Oh, of course," she looked at the direction of the time on her laptop, "It's been two hours? I'm so sorry, I lost track of time." She looked incredibly apologetic for no apparent reason.

What caught me off guard was her hand grabbing my forearm, that I had resting on the table. I'd imagine this gesture was supposed to be a way of reaching out to me as a symbol of her apology. However, it sent my heart into a similar ache I had felt during our previous visit. I froze in my place, hoping whatever this ache was here for, would decide to vacate.

"I'm sorry, are you ok?" She saw my reaction and immediately moved her hand onto her lap.

"It's fine," was all I could manage to say as I was preoccupied.

A blush had formed on her face which only made the ache worse. I didn't understand my body right now. To clarify, the ache wasn't very painful, it was just lively, asking for permission. The best way I could describe it was that it was as though my heart had formed a solid shell over these years. This ache threatened to break the shell, which formed from Kikyo's betrayal.

"Well, that's all I have for today," she said, very quickly I might add, while closing the screen of her laptop, "I won't waste anymore of your time."

Did she think I was mad that we had been here for two hours? I felt an emotion that I hadn't felt in an eternity, but this time I knew exactly what it was. I felt guilty, an emotion that became permanent the last year I was with Kikyo. It felt like a physical pain in my chest, and forced an unwanted twitch of my ear.

Re-experiencing emotions came as a wave that threatened to crush me by its intensity. With Kikyo, it felt as though I had been dragged down to the bottom of the ocean, shackled by her force, destined to die in misery. Unfortunately, I didn't die, and she no longer threatened me but my body adjusted to the water, I was alone, and I might as well as been dead. I didn't fight, I just hoped that eventually it would be over, death eventually became a prize to me. This ache, and Kagome's presence if I was being technical, was like the shackles grew in length and I am offered an opportunity to breath in that first breath of air. The rush of air is overwhelming, and painful but relieving. It was terrifying.

Before I could speak, and somehow reassure her I wasn't mad at her, the familiar scent that I was actually attempting to avoid got much closer. I heard the seat at the next table to us slide into place, and knew he was sitting there. I hoped he wouldn't pay any mind to me but I knew he had sat there for a reason. This man had hated me the instant I became a lawyer. As if I had called it, the voice accompanying the scent spoke, and I was given no choice but to look away from Kagome to the individual at the next table.

"Hey, dog breath, nice to see you outside of court." Koga, a wolf demon casually sat at the next table, a grin on his face.

"Koga, always a pleasure to see you." I remained polite but I knew he would continue to harass me, as he did every time I had a case against one of his clients.

Koga snickered but turned his glance from be to Kagome, instantly brushing me off completely. This was a typical reaction from a full demon. Most didn't associate with half-breeds but enjoyed making them feel miserable. I internally cursed Kagome's presence for making me have feelings. If I had ran into him in my normal state, I wouldn't have even reacted due to the fact that I was used to this rude behaviour from him and most full demons.

"Let's not be rude. Who's this?" I knew what he was trying to do but he was reading this wrong. He wouldn't be able to use Kagome because there weren't any feelings there.

Before I could respond, Kagome interjected, "My name's Kagome," she extended her hand for a handshake, not impacted by his demon qualities or bad attitude.

Much to my surprise the wolf demon reacted with a bigger smile. He grabbed her hand, and produced a wink. I was caught off guard by his flirting. This was not typically demon behaviour. Aside from the small few, including my father, demons did not typically care for humans in the slightest. Even pointless flirting was useless in their eyes when contacting with humans.

In terms of falling for a human, fifty years ago, it was almost unheard of due to it being a taboo. Eventually, some families of a human/demon mix came out but it was only recently, and still rare. Once the press had found out my father had married a woman, they attempted to shame him but a powerful demon such of himself didn't take any of that crap.

"I feel so lucky to have run into you both." He continued to look at only her, "I hope the half-breed isn't boring you to death with all of his nonsense lawyer talk." I attempted not to react, not wanting to say anything that might fuel his hate. Realistically, his words pissed me off, really getting under my skin. Anger flared in my chest, and I could feel it spread through my body. It felt like a wildfire, it was painful and fresh.

Kagome's eyes moved to mine, and it felt as if she was searching my soul. Did she know his words impact me?

"You're being incredibly rude. And, actually, Inuyasha and I were just about to go for a walk." She closed her laptop and put it in her bag, her eyes gestured for me to follow her lead. "It was nice meeting you." She didn't smile.

I felt shivers down my spine the moment my name left her mouth. The ache in my chest rose to a new high and I lost my train of thought completely. Quickly anger vanished to something else. Something I couldn't identify but it was strong.

Koga looked to me, his eyes hateful. "Having a woman fight your battles? I'm not surprised. Maybe she should defend your next client." He turned his gaze to Kagome. "I hope to see you again, Kagome."

We both stood in sync, and I quickly grabbed her coat off the back of her seat. I offered to help her put it on to be kind. Blush form on her face again as if it was clock work. Of course it did, and the ache in my chest sang. As if to prove a point, she tucked her hand under my arm and gripped my forearm. Her touch made my heart ache with pain, threatening to combust. She didn't acknowledge his presence again before pulling me towards the exit.

She led the way out of the coffee shop and walked a small distance before removing her hand from my arm. I remarked that my arm now felt cold where her hand once held. We continued to walk both wrapped up in our own thoughts. I could see on her face that she was curious about something but I could only focus on the feelings she elicited by her touch. I could feel an emotion that felt new, yet old, a feeling that I haven't experienced in such a long time. My chest felt warm, and I felt weightless from her touch.

Kagome slowed her pace and it forced me to look around. We had arrived at a park after only a five minutes of walking. The park had many paths laid out with a simple pond located in the center. Luckily, the park wasn't as congested as the sidewalks had been on our short journey here. My pace adjusted to hers, and I followed her, going in a direction I doubt she was paying much attention too. I finally stopped focussing on myself and looked to a highly concentrated Kagome.

"Is everything alright?" I was becoming concerned by the sheer concentration on her face. I was concerned, interesting?

"How dare he talk to you that way?" She looked forward but a blush formed on her face, probably from anger.

"It's fine," I didn't understand why she was so troubled.

"It's not fine," she rubbed her hand over her face as if she was feeling tired.

"He's just trying to push me around before our court date. And, honestly, he's like every other demon I know," she suddenly stopped and look to me, "this is how it's always been for me. I appreciate that you're worried but there's nothing we can do."

She said nothing but her eyes made me want to tell her more. There was a sincerity, and genuineness in them, and I could feel it in my chest. Her soul spoke to me, and sent individual waves of power, which interacted with my already hard aching chest. It was calling to me but I couldn't look away from the intensity.

I was at war with myself. I have been this robot for so long that the flood of colour and emotion felt nice, though painfully overwhelming. On the other hand, I could feel my body resist it, it was as if it didn't want to feel this all again. Maybe my life was better when it was dull. I couldn't feel, good or bad. I was worried about the bad, and I had learnt that even through all the good, the bad could imprison you but not give you the mercy of killing you.

"Kagome, demons will never accept my kind." I could feel an overwhelming feeling of sadness.

I hadn't experienced sadness in so long that it nearly threatened to crush me. I knew that I wasn't really that sad, it was just the reintroduction that felt overwhelming. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she could read the sadness in my eyes.

Kagome caught my shoulder with her hand in an attempt to sooth me. Immediately a wave of energy entered my body in the location she touched. It travelled straight to my heart, like lightning to the ground. I felt a flash of relief and calmness flow through me.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I didn't realize…" She suddenly moved her hand down my arm, and stopped when her hand rested at my forearm.

My body reacted so feverishly in this short period of time. Her hand travelling down my arm, and my name on her lips, sent chills through my whole body. And then my chest had a sudden, violent, burst of energy move to it. Though her touch still made my brain feel calm, my heart raged in a panicked, aching state. It called to me, rather it cried to me, only the intensity was too much for me to comprehend.

"Thank you, Kagome." The words came out of my mouth and a smile formed on my face thanks to the state of calmness my brain was feeling. The rest of my being was still frozen from my panicked heart.

She offered me a smile and removed her hand from my arm once she was satisfied with the sadness no longer visible on my face. She hugged herself, but finally continued to walk in the direction we were going earlier. We were quiet for a while before she finally spoke again.

"You know, Inuyasha, you're not what I expected." I was confused by her random thought "It's just, the media paints you very differently."

"I am the man they paint me to be," and there was truth to it. I was only this way around her, and she would be gone soon.

"You are but you aren't," she looked thoughtful, "I see it, sometimes, you're a shell of a man, indifferent and unattached" she looked to me to see if I was insulted. I knew what I was, "but then I've also seen you be so thoughtful towards your mother's opinions and wants. I've seen you joke, smile, and I've seen you sad."

I was at a loss of words. I knew she must have noticed the moments when she had affected me but I hadn't thought she would talk about it in conversation to me. This woman was a mystery to me for the sheer fact that she was so open and inviting. If she didn't outright say something, it would be clearly marked on her face, and through her actions.

"I know we don't know each other well, but I'm glad I get to see you this way. You don't have to fight with yourself just so that the media doesn't see your humility."

She thought I was dull and lifeless because I didn't want the media to see me act with humility? I guess it was better than knowing I was weak, and let another individual make me the way I am. It was probably best she thought this way, it meant that maybe everyone else thought this too. I could live with the fact that people thought I was trying to play tough, secretly with a good heart, instead of knowing I'm a lifeless fool. Maybe everyone thought I was less of a monster than I really am. Jokes on them.

She suddenly stopped again to look at me. "Oh shoot, we still have two pages of details to go through…" She subconsciously rubbed her laptop bag as a note of panic became evident in her voice.

"We could meet again sometime later this week or early next week. If you're worried about timelines, I trust your opinion on the matter anyway so just go through with it." I knew in this moment that I wanted to see her again but she would probably be tired of me.

"Deal!" her smile continued to stun me, the ache in my chest reacted accordingly. "Maybe Monday? I have appointments this week that I can't cancel with other clients so it would have to be then. Does that work for you?"

"I'll have to ask Rin, I'm not actually sure what I have scheduled for Monday. I'll email you once I know."

"Thank you, I promise I'm almost done bothering you. Soon enough I'll be out of your hair," she smiled but turned to leave, "And, Inuyasha, thank you for the latte."

I stood still as I watched her exit the park, and walk up the sidewalk until she was out of sight. I remained frozen as I waited for my body to calm, much like my mind had. My thoughts were peaceful but my heart continued to beat erratically. For a long moment, I was afraid it might not stop but eventually it slowed, and I left the park to retreat back to my office.

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have better chapters lined up but I think this one is crucial for the development of their friendship, instead of just throwing you into it. I also think it provides a little more understanding of how Inuyasha feels when experiencing emotion, and his thoughts towards what happened with Kikyo.

I'd also like to note that Koga isn't going to be a major character. Right now, he's just an asshole lawyer who gives Inuyasha a hard time. If you want more Koga, let me know and I can try to alter his story.

Thank you for reading!

xoxo E.


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